Mjlb, you're right-- the stool pictured is too low--I just like the style. I need one that is around 18" in height. Tgd2008, I was wrong about Overstock. I clicked on a link on the bottom of the Overstock page when I was searching for rush seat benches and it took me to www.benches.com. That is where the pictured bench is from. Any other ideaas?

Thanks for the ideas! I can't mount cabinets there though due to the air return vent, it will have to be something freestanding that will allow the air to circulate and also could be moved out of the way when servicing the furnace or water heater. Unless I get really creative with the hack and redirect the air vent around and through a toekick, but I am feeling a bit of project burn-out right now at the tail end of this renovation and just want an easy quick solution :) Here's an old, not great photo of the area. The frame shown is the furnace/water heater closet. We are replacing the bifold door with 2 french doors solid core, so I can mount a shelf and hooks on those, and the new doors will muddle the sounds of the gas appliances better. Below the funny closet door is the return air vent for the furnace - in this photo is is hidden by this shoe rack we used temporarily when we first moved in. We later had a hall tree storage bench, and we did like keeping our shoes in it but they were all a jumble and not organized. We do have a hall closet as well, but it's mostly converted to a cat litter room - has a cat door in the door and the litter boxes are in there, but there is room to install something to organize shoes, like an ikea closet thing... just not sure if DH would bother opening the closet and putting away his shoes inside rather than dumping into a storage bench. We can certainly use the closet for out of season stuff, and only need a small amount of storage for 2 pairs of shoes each in the entry.

Hi Maureen! It is wall mounted. I think it has 4 screws in the back. It does not interfere with our base moldings. I love that the depth is perfect. Ikea has a tall one and a wider one. Just search "hemnes shoe" on ikea and you can see what is available. They hold a ton of our shoes as well as keys, mail etc. I have the wide one in our kids basement are and the tall one in the living room. The backs are mostly open with two support bars that go across that may or not interfere with your moldings. You would have to measure up to see where your molding comes in play. I would be happy to measure the height of the two support bars if you would like. We also used a coat tree in the corner of our living room.

I don't mind the table and mirror and can't really think of anything besides art that would fit on that wall. Can't see the table details well but could it be painted? How about red to match your lovely door? What would say "fresh and cozy" to you for that space? Have you thought of a new light fixture? A runner and a larger rug in the entrance could look good. I don't find the clock visible from the door to be welcoming so I'd be tempted to remove it.